Why is this important?
The percentage of high school students scoring above average on
college entrance exams and aspiring to higher education is important
to Tuolumne County residents. Young people with a post-secondary
education perform better in today’s competitive environment
of knowledge-based, high technology industries. Taking the Scholastic
Aptitude Test (SAT), the standard college entrance exam, measures
educational aspiration. Low literacy skills are linked to many social
ills such as increased health care costs and increased crime.20
What is the measure?
The SAT is the most widely required 4-year college/university exam
for admission and scholarship eligibility. The three-hour exam consists
of sections measuring verbal (reading comprehension and vocabulary),
mathematical and writing skills. Scores range from 200 to 800 in
each section with the average score approximately 500 for each section.
How are we doing?
Over the past three years, the percentage of Tuolumne County high
school students taking the SAT rose gradually. However, a gap still
exists between the county and the state. This may indicate that
some students, by not taking the test, could be limiting their choices
about future careers.
Students in Tuolumne County continue to score
higher than state averages in verbal and writing; but in 2006-07 fell
below the state average in mathematics.
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